Cricket: Academy in Australia

Overview

The Sport Lived Cricket Academy gives you the chance to play and train in Melbourne, Australia's sporting capital. Our course provides the ultimate cricketing experience: you’ll receive elite coaching and have access to outstanding training facilities.

Recommended for:

Working intensively on your game

Meeting friends through club and academy

Train under elite coaches

Time to travel before/after your programme

At a glance:

Regular cricket training and matches

Access to Melbourne's excellent cricket facilities

Elite coaching from highly skilled staff

Shared city centre accommodation

Sporting adventures

Our cricket academy programme runs for 5 - 11 weeks between January and March. Whilst on the programme, you’ll train at the academy during the week and play matches for a local cricket club at the weekends. It’s a great choice if you want to improve your cricket skills and receive intensive, quality coaching.

Your Coaching Team

Please find below profiles of the academy coaching staff.

N.B. Coaches may change from programme to programme depending on their availability. We also appoint specialist coaches to take training sessions based on the requirements of the players attending the academy.

Dr Simon Feros

Coaching Qualifications & Experience

Owner of Bowlstrong 'Building Stronger Bowlers'

PhD in Fast Bowling Performance, Biomechanics and Fitness

Masters in Exercise Rehabilitation

Level 2 ASCA Strength and Conditioning Coach

Ray Bright

Coaching Qualifications & Experience

Cricket Australia Level 3 Coach

Former Captain of the Victorian State Team

Australian International - 25 Test Matches & 11 One Day Internationals

Current selector for the Victorian Bushrangers

Dallas Lyons

Coaching Qualifications & Experience

Scotch College Development Coach

Former Ringwood Cricket Club First XI wicket-keeper

Wicket-Keeping Coach at Melbourne Renegades (Big Bash League)

Tim Strapp

Coaching Qualifications & Experience

Director and Head Trainer at ProSport Health and Fitness

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Batchelor of Sport Science with Honours

Keith Janz

Coaching Qualifications & Experience

Level 3 High Performance Coach

Current Head Coach at Frankston Peninsular CC (Victorian Premier Cricket)

Former Victorian Women's Head Coach

Tuition

We’ve assembled a quality coaching team to deliver the academy programme. You'll receive tuition from leading coaches, sports psychologists and fitness experts who’ll analyse and develop every area of your game. The coaching at the academy will focus on:

Core skills
You’ll receive coaching, net sessions and drills in small groups to work on batting, bowling and fielding skills.

Psychological conditioning
This is a key area for cricket development, working on mental skill development. Coaches will work with you on goal setting, overcoming negative thinking, pre-game preparation, visualisation, etc.

Athlete education
Academy students learn about wider aspects of organisation, sport and cricket. You’ll undertake lessons in diet and nutrition, injury prevention, tactical and decision making development and time management.

Matches

In addition to training at the academy, you’ll join a cricket club in Melbourne. You’ll attend mid-week training sessions and play matches at the weekends.

Personal development
Playing for a local club will enable you to put the academy coaching into practice in weekly competitive matches. Playing and training with a club also enables you to integrate into the local community, meet new people and make new friends. Most cricket clubs in Melbourne have 4-6 senior men’s teams and some also have women’s teams. Some of our cricket clubs in Melbourne have state and international cricketers, so you’ll have the opportunity to play alongside some very talented players.

Facilities

Most academy sessions are held at inner Melbourne cricket clubs that have excellent outdoor facilities and are close to the centre of Melbourne. We also use indoor facilities that require transport via train out of the city due to their location, but once you arrive it is worth it as you'll have one of the best technical coaches in Australia taking you through a thoroughly intense batting experience. We also access some University facilities as required. The strength and conditioning sessions are held at ProSport Fitness, one of the most complete gyms in Melbourne, with an altitude chamber and hot/cold bath recovery facilities alongside the more regular features.

At a glance:

2 cricket ovals

Outdoor and Indoor facilities equipped with bowling machines

Video analysis equipment

World Class Gym and Fitness facility

What to expect

When you arrive at the academy a thorough assessment will be made of your strengths and weaknesses. This assessment provides the basis of your training programme at the academy. Performance objectives are set and continually reviewed as development progresses.

Timetable

A typical weekly schedule of the programme is shown below. During the programme you’ll work on all areas of your game. In addition, you’ll also play matches with a club at the weekends and attend club practices during the week

Morning

Afternoon

Monday

Athlete Development Workshop

Technical Skills Session

Tuesday

Strength and Conditioning

Cricket Club Training

Wednesday

Strength and Conditioning

Technical Skills Session

Thursday

Strength and Conditioning

Cricket Club Training

Friday

Day off

Saturday

Club Match

Sunday

Individual Recovery Session

Social Life

Making the most of your time away

Travelling to the other side of the world to play sport is a truly once in a lifetime experience. So all Sport Lived programmes are designed to make sure that both your sporting life, and your social life, are as action packed and exciting as possible. That’s why you’ll always get…

Social events with Sport Lived

The cities you can visit with Sport Lived are some of the most exciting and welcoming on the planet, and there always seems to be something interesting going on. So to help you make the most of your time away, our local staff organise social events like trips to top sporting occasions, surfing lessons, welcome dinners and loads more besides. They’ll also try to assist you get tickets to events you want to watch while you're away, and give you expert advice on the best things to see and do in the city.

Membership of a local sports club

One of the best things about travelling with Sport Lived is that we arrange for you to join a local sports club. We handpick clubs with lots of members and different teams - some of whom have regular social events. Some clubs may offer preseason tours, and in the past some clubs have organised welcome events for new players. Trust us, you’ll feel like an old hand within a few days and the other members will make sure there’s never a dull moment!

A great place to stay in the centre of town

We offer programmes in some fantastic cities, and we know that to make the most of your time away, you need to be right in the centre of the action. So we make sure that your accommodation is in the heart of the city - just a short walk away from all the best cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and pretty much anything else you’ll ever need.

Like minded flatmates

Having a few friends to share your experiences with is a huge part of any foreign trip – they make the whole experience loads easier and loads more fun. So you’ll always share your swish city centre accommodation with other Sport Lived participants - that way you’ll have a ready-made group of friends from the minute you step off the plane!

FAQs

Do you have to be a really good cricketer to attend the academy?
No. Cricketers of all abilities can attend the cricket academy where they’ll receive quality coaching and play matches for a club at the weekends.

What type of visa should I obtain to attend the cricket academy?
The programmes are intensive so most players don’t work during their time at the academy. We therefore suggest that you obtain an Australian Tourist Visa which your travel agent should be able to organise for you. If you plan to extend your trip and work in Australia then you should obtain an Australian Working Holiday Visa. This visa enables you to live and work in Australia for up to 12 months.

Do players on the programme play matches for a club?
Yes, all players on the programme train with a club during the week and play matches at the weekends.

Standard Accommodation

Choose our Standard Accommodation in Australia and you’ll live in a dorm room in a hostel or lodge. All our Standard pads are centrally located and provide easy access to public transport. This makes it easier to get to your sports club or coaching placement, as well as giving you the chance to try out all the bars, clubs and restaurants in the city centre.

At a glance:

Top quality hostel accommodation

Located close to transport and nightlife

Shared with Sport Lived participants

Meet travellers from around the world

Your place in Australia...

You’ll share a dorm room with other Sport Lived participants. You’ll get fully equipped kitchen facilities, a base for your belongings and large comfortable communal areas, so you can catch up with other Sport Lived participants and travellers from around the world.

NB: Illustrative accommodation pictures.

Melbourne

First things first. Whether it be playing professionally, socially with mates, coaching or simply watching on the telly, Melburnians LOVE sport. It doesn't matter where you are - the heart of the city, a country town, or in the suburbs, you will not only find a pub with a TV screen, but also an enthusiastic Aussie crowd to watch the action. In terms of live sport, we have the famous Boxing Day test match, Aussie Open Tennis, Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup – Australia’s most famous horse race.

But there’s more than sport. Most importantly, the Melbourne people are an incredible bunch. There's a warm, community sense that vibrates through the city. The locals are typically laid back and welcoming. They love to show off their city and will probably insist on taking you out on the town, exchanging slang words and introducing you to their mates.

This city is famous as the home of culture in Australia and has amazing art exhibitions, markets, music and comedy festivals; shopping, nightclubs and trendy bars. Whatever your taste, you'll find places in Melbourne dedicated to people like yourself.

Top Things To Do In Melbourne

Travel the Great Ocean Road

Watch ‘the race that stops a nation’

Catch the ANZAC Day AFL Game at the MCG

What’s included?

Cricket Club
✓ Membership to a quality cricket club in Melbourne
✓ The opportunity to play and train with top Australian cricketers

Social Events
✓ Regular overseas social events e.g. surfing trips and tickets to great sporting events*
✓ Social events with your cricket club
*The social events arranged for our participants are dependent upon the length and time of their programme. Our participants receive an itinerary of social events before the the start of their programme.